Alfred Kubin, der Zeichner 1877-1959

Seipel, Wilfried. Alfred Kubin, der Zeichner 1877-1959. Wien; München: Christian Brandstätter, 1988. First edition. Quarto. 215, [1]pp. Original pictorial wrappers over cloth with black lettering on spine. Frontispiece portrait of Alfred Kubin. Kubin is considered an important representative of Symbolism and Expressionism and is noted for dark, spectral, symbolic fantasies, often assembled into thematic series of drawings. Like Oskar Kokoschka and Albert Paris Gütersloh, Kubin had both artistic and literary talent. He illustrated the works of Edgar Allan Poe, E.T.A. Hoffmann and Fyodor Dostoevsky, among others. The best known of Kubin’s own books is Die Andere Seite (The Other Side) (1909), a fantastic novel set in an oppressive imaginary land. The Other Side has an atmosphere of claustrophobic absurdity reminiscent of the writings of Franz Kafka. From 1906 until his death, he lived a withdrawn life in a small castle on a 12th century estate in Zwickledt, Upper Austria. In 1938, at the Anschluss of Austria and Nazi Germany, his work was declared entartete Kunst or “degenerate art”, but he managed to continue working during World War II. Kubin was awarded the Great Austrian State Prize in 1951, and the Austrian Decoration for Science and Art in 1957. This work is profusely illustrated with 152 b/w and color reproductions of some of Kubin’s work. Minor age toning along paper margin. Text in German. Wrappers, binding and interior in overall very good condition. vg. Hardcover. (29116) $50